DNA Favorites Blog

This is Richard Hill, founder of DNA Favorites. I don't write long, detailed blogs. My blogging style matches that of my website: clear, concise summaries with links to learn more.

I typically share these posts to my DNA Favorites Facebook page and to my RichardHillDNA accounts on Bluesky, X,and LinkedIn. You can follow me in whatever medium you prefer.

Jun 20, 2025

The World’s Largest Y-DNA Haplotree

If you have done Y-DNA testing or are considering it, this post provides a clear explanation of the Y-DNA Haplotree.

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Jun 18, 2025

DNA Leads American Woman to Father in Italy

She had always been told that her twin brothers had the same father, but DNA testing revealed she had a different father and was half Italian.

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Jun 16, 2025

23andMe Reverts to Original Owner

Anne Wojcicki, former CEO of 23andMe, has outbid Reneneron to take back the company she founded.

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Jun 13, 2025

DNA Test Finds Father: a Mafia Informant

This woman identified her father through DNA testing and learned about his secret life.

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Jun 11, 2025

The Truth About DNA and Famous Connections

Have your DNA results suggested a connection to someone famous? Here's what that really means.

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Jun 04, 2025

DNA Tests Spur Interest in Genealogy in the UK

If you're hoping to trace your ancestry to the British Isles, your chances of finding a DNA cousin match there are improving.

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Jun 02, 2025

DNA Reunites Siblings After 80 Years

A brother and sister, separated as children during World War II, found their way back to each other thanks to a DNA match.

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May 30, 2025

CeCe Moore's Favorite Episodes of Finding Your Roots

In an interview with Today, CeCe Moore shares her most memorable discoveries throughout her decade on “Finding Your Roots.”

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May 28, 2025

Good News from 23andMe Buyer

Regeneron has pledged to continue following all the existing privacy and security practices for 23andMe, which has attracted over 15 million users. This includes continuing 23andMe’s consumer genetic testing services "uninterrupted."

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May 23, 2025

How to Use the New Mitotree Haplogroups for Genealogy

Family Tree DNA has dramatically expanded the mitochondrial DNA haplogroups and now provides many new reports. Learn all about it in this blog post.

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May 21, 2025

Siblings Find Long-Lost Big Sister After 70 Years

Mary was forced to give up her eldest daughter at a notorious Mother and Baby Home in Ireland. A DNA test finally reunited her children.

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May 19, 2025

New Owner of 23andMe

The wait is over. Regeneron will buy DNA testing company 23andMe and vows to use customer DNA data ethically.

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May 16, 2025

Understanding Y-DNA Haplogroups in Family Finder™ Results

Men doing the Family Finder autosomal DNA test at Family Tree DNA are now getting a bonus: their Y-DNA haplogroup.

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May 14, 2025

Long-lost Siblings Reunite after 60 Years

DNA brought together a group of siblings separated for more than six decades. And one sister has the same name as a deceased sister.

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May 12, 2025

25 Years of Genetic Genealogy

Bennett Greenspan, founder of Family Tree DNA, shares the story behind genetic genealogy innovations, the community that made them possible, and his hopes for the future of genetic genealogy.

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May 09, 2025

DNA for Native American Genealogy

Watch this free webinar recorded at RootsTech 2025. It shows 10 techniques and tools for finding and confirming (or sometimes refuting) Native American ancestors.

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May 07, 2025

"Bad Omen" Baby Meets Mother 60 Years Later

Abandoned in Hong Kong due to superstition and adopted in the U.K., Rachel used DNA to find her birth family.

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May 05, 2025

Understanding and Using Haplotype Clusters

A new feature called Haplotype Clusters was released with the new Mitotree and mtDNA Discover at Family Tree DNA. Learn all about it here.

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Apr 24, 2025

Using Mitochondrial DNA for Genealogy

Less commonly used than autosomal or Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA is still a powerful tool for genealogists. Read this article for research tips and strategies.

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Apr 22, 2025

Adopted? You May Not Be a Legal Citizen

Due to parental oversights, many foreign-born adoptees lack the U.S. citizenship needed to get a passport and may face deportation.

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Apr 18, 2025

Maintain Your 23andMe Account

Don't give up on an important genealogical resource due to scary headlines. Here's a good summary with links to factual sources about the 23andMe status.

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Apr 16, 2025

Stolen Baby Meets Mother 40 Years Later

Through meticulous research and DNA testing, Connecting Roots sheds light on the time when Chile sold babies to foreign families.

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Apr 11, 2025

How to Transfer Your FamilyTreeDNA Tree to MyHeritage

A customer of both companies, Dave shares how he did and what he learned from the experience.

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Apr 09, 2025

DNA Completes 50-Year Search for Family

Searching for her biological father since age 15, Kerri finds her family that ultimately supports her through a battle with cancer.

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Apr 07, 2025

Updates to 23andMe Ancestry Composition

23andMe can now connect you to 4000+ geographic regions, ethnolinguistic groups, and cultural groups around the world.

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